California Farm Bureau Opposes Expansion of CCA Authority Into Transmission AB 2396
Published Friday, April 10, 2026
California Farm Bureau has opposed Assembly Bill 2396 by Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, which would authorize Community Choice Aggregators to develop, own and operate electrical transmission infrastructure. Farm Bureau raised concerns that CCAs were originally created to focus on electricity generation, not transmission, and that the bill would mark a major shift without clearly showing how ratepayers would benefit. Farm Bureau also highlighted that farmers and ranchers are affected not only as energy customers who bear transmission costs but also as landowners whose property and operations are often directly impacted by transmission lines.
Given the complexity and significance of transmission planning, construction and operation, Farm Bureau urged lawmakers to proceed cautiously and fully scrutinize whether expanding CCA authority in this space is justified. The bill was heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee on April 8, and at that time the author accepted amendments, which Farm Bureau will review and assess whether our position changes.
Staff contacts: Karen Norene Mills at kmills@cfbf.com and Abby Carlson at acarlson@cfbf.com.
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